College of Business 2014 Program Review. Business Human Resources Organizational Leadership

Transcription

1 College of Business 2014 Program Review Business Human Resources Organizational Leadership

2 The College of Business is committed to carry out the mission of Purdue North Central in three pillars of excellence: learning, discovery, and engagement. The development of the region is fostered through the professional and academic expertise of its faculty in accounting, economics, human resources, leadership, management and marketing. The COB gives continual and careful consideration to the unique characteristics and needs of our many constituencies, especially our students, in this region, the State of Indiana and beyond. In addition, the strategic plan of the College is intended to mirror the strategic plan of the University. Three major areas identified in the overall campus plan are directly relevant to the College: student access and success, communication and collaboration, and regional economic development. The mission statement of the College: The College of Business integrates mastery of contemporary business practices and organizational knowledge to prepare leaders who will become valuable contributors to the intellectual, cultural, and economic transformation of their communities. The College of Business offers three BS degrees: Business, Human Resources, and Organizational Leadership and Supervision and one MS degree, the MBA. Students in the Business degree may choose among concentrations in accounting, economics, management, and marketing. The Organizational Leadership and Supervision was the first BS degree offered on this campus. The BS degree in Business was added in 2000, followed by the BS degree in Human Resources in The MBA program began in Several AS degrees, certificates, and minors are also offered, as listed in Table 1. For the purposes of this report, the discussion will cover the relevant BS degrees only. Business Program Program in Business Unit To Be Accredited by ACBSP Number of Degrees conferred during MBA Yes Yes BS- Business- Accounting Yes Yes BS- Business- Economics Yes Yes 1 3 BS- Business- Management Yes Yes BS- Business- Marketing Yes Yes BS- Business- No Concentration Yes Yes 1 0 BS- Human Resources Yes Yes BS- Org. Leadership & Supervision Yes Yes AS-Business* Yes 19 9 AS- Org. Leadership & Supervision Yes AS- Org. Leadership & Supervision/ HR concentration Yes 8 5 Certificate- Org. Leadership & Supervision Certificate- Human Resources Certificate- Org. Administration Minor Business Minor- HR Minor- OLS Minor- Org. Administration Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Total *to be phased out by Fall 2014

3 ACCREDITATION The BS degrees in business, human resources and organizational leadership were accredited for the first time this past year by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). A summary of the final report follows. Our actions that address each item are included as bold text under each section. A copy of the official letter can be found in the Appendix. Note on Standard 1, Criterion 1.2.b: There are a number of initiatives that provide evidence of contributions to the community in response to Standards 3 and 5. There is no evidence provided as to a systematic approach for evaluating the impact of these initiatives. Assessing the effects of these initiatives as well as opportunities to further advance the development of the region would add value to the strategic planning process. We need to establish a mechanism for assessing external contributions to the community. Ideas include focus groups with advisory board members, feedback from VITA program, placement rates, better tracking of service learning, internships and class projects. Note on Standard 4, Criterion 4.2: While the school reports a long history of assessment, four programs (BS Business, BS Human Resources, BS Organizational Leadership, and MBA) have less than 3 data points for at least one measure. However, the assessment methodology for these programs has changed. The Commission looks forward to results based on the new assessment methods for these 4 programs in the first Quality Assurance Report (QAR). This will not be a problem as of Spring All assessments will have at least three data points. We will need however, to work on assessment of each concentration. Plans are underway to include concentration-specific questions on the comprehensive exam starting in Spring Note on Standard 4, Criterion 4.3: Please provide external comparative learning outcomes assessment data for the three BS degrees in your first QAR. The Commission looks forward to your analysis of the efficacy of using the Interpretive Simulations Strategy Game currently under pilot study for this purpose. We are able to access data from other institutions who use the Simulation data for external comparison (He)? We are also investigating the assurance of learning exam from SHRM (Rohr). Note on Standard 4, Criterion 4.4: While the COB described improvements made over time based on student learning assessment results, they are not linked to the learning outcomes assessment results analyzed in Criterion 4.2. In your first QAR (Quarterly Annual Report), please provide examples of these linkages for the student learning outcomes demonstrated in the QAR. We will begin to document our conversations in meetings dedicated to discussing assessment results. OFI (Opportunity for Improvement) on Standard 5, Criterion 5.1: While the elements of a systematic process for developing human resources are evident in the Self-Study and the response to the Feedback report, it is difficult to understand how the COB determines its progress toward meeting all of its targets as they are scattered across many initiatives and timeframes. A document that consolidates the information with strategies, targets, and progress could make the process more manageable and more transparent to the COB s stakeholders Note on Standard 5, Criterion 5.3: While the percentage of coverage by academically qualified faculty of undergraduate courses is below the historical threshold of 40%, (currently 37%) the COB has articulated a plan to improve these percentages within the next 2 years. The Commission anticipates reviewing progress toward achieving this goal in the first QAR.

4 This needs to continue to improve; several faculty earning their doctorates will help. In addition, we will need to make scholarly work a higher priority. This will become a problem in future accreditation activities as well as our own PNC graduate council. Note on Standard 5, Criterion 5.5: The COB has made significant progress toward reducing teaching overload levels for its faculty members and has an ambitious plan to continue this positive trend. The Commission looks forward to documentation of further reductions in overload levels in the first QAR. Continue to improve LEARNING: ACCESS AND SUCCESS Enrollment and graduation statistics pertaining to each major over time are displayed on the following graphs. Program enrollment has remained relatively stable over time, with a small uptick this past year. Overall headcount of active BS degree seeking students Fall Spring Enrolled Majors OLS HR MRKT MGMT ECON ACCT No Option

5 Graduation Rates by Major OLS HR MRKT MGMT ECON ACCT The majority of all coursework is delivered in a face-to-face format offered at the main PNC campus in Westville, IN and at the Purdue Porter County site in Valparaiso, IN. Courses are also offered in a hybrid format (part on-line and part in the classrooms at Westville and Valparaiso) and in an entirely online format. Over time, the number of online and hybrid courses have grown due to student request as well as pressure from competitors. In a strategic planning retreat held in spring 2012, the faculty of the College made the decision to develop and offer online at least one section of each course in the core of the BS in Business. This happened to coincide with the movement on campus from Blackboard Vista to Blackboard Learn in January To facilitate the transition process, a grant program was offered by Academic Affairs in the fall of 2012 which would support faculty in the development of new online courses. A number of COB faculty took advantage of this program. The cumulative upward trend for number of credit hours taught online is displayed below Number of credit hours taught online Summer Spring Fall

6 ASSESSMENT AND ASSURANCE OF LEARNING The College of Business Assessment Program is designed as a participatory and dynamic process that is focused on student learning outcomes rather than teaching inputs. The process is designed to engage all members of the faculty in analyzing and using data to confirm and improve teaching and learning. The assessment process is done as a collective endeavor with a spirit of inquiry and a focus on student learning. It is not punitive to either a particular member of the faculty or student. In addition, the data is utilized to guide faculty in making educational and organizational improvements as well as demonstrate accountability to stakeholders which include students as well as potential employers. Assessment Process The assessment process is cyclical in nature and includes the steps as outlined below: Development of program goals and objectives in alignment with the overall COB mission Evaluation of student achievement of core program objectives a variety of direct and indirect measures are used throughout each program Evaluation of student satisfaction with several aspects of program operations Analysis of data collected for the identification of trends, program strengths and areas for improvement Problem identification and action planning that results in revision of program content, operation, course sequence or delivery as necessary On occasion it may also be appropriate to revise core program goals as well as departmental missions based on external stakeholder input The assessment process itself is also subject to review and revision in order to improve its effectiveness so that data collected is meaningful, actions resulting from the process have impact and the process is efficient. Each year, assessment results are compiled into an annual report and shared with various entities within the College (via meetings) as well as stakeholders in the community (via the website and Advisory Board meetings). This report shares data as well as recommendations for improvement in curriculum or the assessment process itself. See the Appendix for the most recent report. Assessment Strategies

7 Several recent examples of improvements made based on assessment results include: Program improvements: BS degrees Addition of a second statistics course (STAT 302) for BSB students due to poor performance in many of the quantitatively based courses (economics, finance and international business). Replacement of the MA 153 Algebra course with MA 213 Finite Math course specifically designed with business applications. Addition of Strategy and International Business as requirements for students pursuing the accounting concentration. Revision of Comprehensive exams to improve questions relevance and delivery. The exam for HR and OLS students has been split into two separate exams. Reduction of credit hour requirement for all BS degrees from (per state mandate) Incorporation of core general education components across campus (per faculty Senate) Reconfiguration of four year plans of study for better course sequencing which will assist with student concerns about advising processes. In addition, the campus has recently implemented DegreeWorks a platform to assist students in planning. Other Development of a Certificate in organization administration developed for non-majors Creation of a course for Business Budgeting developed and offered for non-majors Creation of a new marketing course in Social Media Increase in efforts to assess faculty mentors to upperclass undergraduate students Improvement Goals for Revision of introductory business course GBG 127 to serve as a freshmen experience course, effective Fall Completed, summer Improvement Goals for Create Innovation and Entrepreneurship course for management majors Create Logistics course for management majors (2014) Improved process for internships (per advisory board request) ACCESS AND SUCCESS: STUDENT PERSISTENCE The graph below illustrates the most recent data related to student persistence for the three undergraduate degrees. 90 Fall to fall persistence by degree Business Human Resources Leadership

8 Although data in general appears to be relatively stable over time, a few initiatives have been established to assist in successful and timely degree completion: Reconfiguration of four year plans of study for better course sequencing degree maps Utilization of DegreeWorks a platform to assist students in planning. Addition of FYE component to GBG 127 (effective Fall 2013) Inclusion of Supplemental Instruction o Accounting (MGMT 200) o Finance (GBG 333) plans for fall 2014 Plans are underway to establish a longitudinal study of the impact of the freshman experience component and data collection will commence in fall ACCESS AND SUCCESS: EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT Students at PNC also have the opportunity to enhance their leadership skills through a variety of co-curricular activities and clubs, two of which are closely affiliated with the College of Business: Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and a student Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). The Accounting club was also established in the Fall of Students may also be selected for induction into Sigma Beta Delta, the honor society for business students offered through ACBSP. ENGAGEMENT: COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS Service Learning. Undergraduate and graduate business students also have several opportunities to work in the community on real world issues through class projects with service learning components. Several examples follow: As part of a sophomore level class, OLS 388 Leadership for Team Development, students are charged with identifying and developing a service project for a community organization. This past semester, projects have included: o resale of prom dresses o preparation of an informational video for LaPorte County juvenile court o creation of a chimes exhibit for Talltree arboretum o presentation to a Westville elementary class o fundraising for NWI Cancer Kids Foundation Marketing classes routinely incorporate projects for clients related to market research, development of ad campaigns for local non-profits and small businesses. Students in the capstone class for the OLS and HR degrees (OLS 494) form groups to study individual businesses to review and consolidate their knowledge in each of their core courses with each project including a service learning component in which groups devise a project to give back to the companies as thanks for their cooperation. Samples include writing a procedures manual specific to a company, designing and delivering a series of seminars to enhance the performance of employees in a company, and creating and hosting recognition events for a company. Representative organizations include:

9 Clients for OLS 494 Capstone students The instructor for the Introduction to Business course requires students to interview managers in local business to gain an understanding how they operate and maintain competitive edges in the marketplace. This increases the profile of the COB in the community on a very personal basis. PNC COB faculty and students have participated in the Internal Revenue Service s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program for the past 23 years. Under this program accounting students provide free income tax preparation service to individuals with low to moderate incomes, individuals with disabilities, and the elderly. The program serves approximately area families each year. This year, United Way donated approximately 2000 to support the expansion of this program. Taxpayers have continuously expressed an extremely high level of satisfaction with the service they have been provided by the VITA Program. Plans are underway to collaborate with the United Way to expand this service in the Spring of College of Business Advisory Board An Advisory Board was established in the Fall of 2012 to ensure that the College is fulfilling its mission and that student learning is relevant. In addition, members are able to share additional needs for education or consulting services as well as serve as a resource for student internships. The group is a mix of stakeholders ranging from employers to alumni of undergraduate and graduate programs. The Advisory Council membership consists of representatives with expertise that corresponds to one of the disciplines within the College to including accounting, marketing, operations management, human resources, economics, and leadership. Organizations also represent a range of functions from accounting, advertising, banking, retail, and manufacturing to governmental agencies and non-profits such as healthcare, mental health, leadership development and economic development. In addition two program officials from the business program at IVY Tech Community College are invited to serve on the Council as this institution is a major partner in the 2+2 articulation program. The inaugural meeting was held on November 30, A second meeting followed in May of One specific initiative that has been suggested is to examine and improve the internship process for the student, as well as faculty

10 sponsor and employer. This was added as a strategic initiative for the COB to be addressed in the Fall of Contract Training Leadership Development. The College of Business faculty are also involved with providing custom training and development solutions for regional non-profit institutions and area businesses. The most frequently requested topics relate to leadership and management development. Clients have included a large healthcare facility in La Porte County, a prominent regional bank, Social Service agencies in Porter County, local police and fire departments, a manufacturing firm, and beverage distributor. Working interactively with clients to identify learning needs as well as delivery methods, faculty have developed relationships with clients that have evolved into several levels and iterations of programming over time. In three cases, COB professors have been invited to provide training for personnel for state-wide organizations (farmers, social service case workers, and continuing education organizations). Approximately half of the members of the COB faculty have delivered a total of several hundred such seminars. This interaction with the business and non-profit communities enhances the profile of COB programs and allows faculty to incorporate feedback into course design and use examples of application of business concepts in class. Financial Literacy. A team of four COB faculty participated in contract training, a Financial Training Program for a local Hospital management and supervisory staff during March This required the development of teaching approaches complimentary to the text book chosen for the course which would be appropriate for management and supervisory staff, an audience with different interests and expectations than those present in a normal classroom environment. Plans are underway to repeat the series pending funding from the client. Consulting Accounting Services. COB faculty serve on the Quality Assurance (QA) committee of TradeWinds Services, Inc. located in Gary, Indiana. Currently it is relocating to Hobart, Indiana, which is a more central location in the service area. The committee is involved with strategic planning and program oversight, in addition to accreditation and compliance oversight. Economic Development. COB faculty have undertaken a wide variety of business and economic consulting projects for both internal (PNC) and external clients. At the request of PNC administrative services, a faculty member prepared an economic impact study of PNC upon the La Porte and Porter County economies. Other clients include the Greater La Porte Chamber of Commerce, a new major residential housing project near Valparaiso, major downtown residential developer in Michigan City, feasibility study for harbor improvement in St. Joseph, Michigan. Mediation. Another faculty member has served 25 school corporations throughout the state as a mediator for school board and teacher association or union contract disputes. As a senior mediator she has trained the state s ad hoc panel of mediators. She also serves on Purdue systemwide groups to develop policy and training for grievance and hearing procedures and has recently been admitted to the Indiana Supreme Court Domestic Relations Mediation Registry. Entrepreneurship, Small Business Startups, and Social Marketing. COB faculty have been involved with the businesses in the Chicago area. One of our COB Marketing faculty was involved with the Obama re-election campaign working with the Obama For America Tech and Digital Teams at the campaign Headquarters. During her tenure at OFA HQ, she worked to

11 improve the customer relationship management of the Dashboard, an online organizing tool that connects campaign supporters and volunteers to the local campaign efforts. She also helped in the seamless integration of this effort with the other social media platforms used by the campaign. OSHA Certification and Development of Safety Professions. The PNC Center for Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) has certified and recertified members of the West Lafayette campus REM compliance group as Authorized OSHA Outreach Trainers. Various other industry trainers representing regional companies have also completed the outreach trainer course requirements. Other area businesses have secured OSHA 10- and 30- hour training through the PNC Center for OSH. Since 2004, promotional school services for area police, fire, and sheriff's organizations have been provided by semiannual, customized safety leadership seminars and testing. Additional requested services provided have been reassessment, redesign, and instruction to improve performance management in police, fire, and sheriff's organizations within La Porte County. Center for Economic Development and Research (CEDaR) One of the key initiatives in the Purdue North Central Strategic Plan centers on economic development. To meet the challenge, the COB established in 2009, the Center for Economic Development and Research, CEDaR, for the purpose of serving the needs of the region s economic development organizations. This entity, still in its infancy, was established to offer educational opportunities related to economic development, conduct research related to regional economic and public policy initiatives, offer contract training services that support workforce development, and serve as a repository for regional reports and data. To date, numerous Economic Briefings have been held and several issues of (ECONTRENDS have been distributed under the auspices of CEDaR. Currently, a needs assessment for economic development activities is underway which includes several interviews as well as surveys. An Advisory Board for this entity was established in the Spring of Membership consists of local economic development professionals. One of the outcomes of that meeting was to provide an introductory workshop related to economic development (ED 101) to local public officials. Economic Briefings Since 2007, COB economists have hosted twice yearly Economic Outlook briefings breakfasts on campus. This event, co- sponsored by the Greater La Porte and Michigan City Chambers of Commerce, was established at the request of community chambers. In addition, since 2009, an annual Economic Outlook lunch has been hosted by the Greater Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce. Faculty presentations include data and assessments for the short-term outlook for the national economy, with implications for the regional economy. Information is also provided for local economic indicators. Feedback from participants includes post event surveys and questions at the end of each program. This feedback is essential to improve the presentations but also identify key economic development issues in the region. The latter provides faculty with ideas for research topics of interest to the region. ECONTRENDS COB faculty have published a state of the economy and business report for La Porte and Porter counties, biannually and continuously since the Fall of The latest issue (ECONTRENDS, Volume 23, Number 1, Fall 2012) contains information and statistical data about LaPorte and Porter counties' manufacturing sector including growth, employment, earnings, the

12 unemployment trends; and the housing market conditions in North Central Indiana. News from College of Business is also featured. The first issue generated in the Fall of 1990 started with about 200 subscribers on the mailing list. Currently, 1,200 copies are circulated to the business community. Print copies are available in the College of Business. Archived issues are also available via the CEDaR website. Council of Regional Economic Advisors A team of economists from four regional universities, the Center for Workforce Innovation, and Ivy Tech State College collaborated to develop an economic overview report for the sevencounty Northwest Indiana region. The report was presented at a summit of community and business leaders on November 2, 2011 at Valparaiso University. A follow-up summit was held in April Three faculty members from COB are involved in the team s activities. The main focus of the project was to develop a series of economic indicators that could be utilized to chart the region s performance over time. A third summit is slated for April COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION: DISCOVERY The commitment of faculty members to the intellectual vitality of the COB is demonstrated by the evidence below. All tenured and tenure-track faculty members (except one) made scholarly contributions via publications and/or presentations in their fields. The contributions spanned widely across categories, most related to the scholarship of teaching, application, or integration, consistent with the mission of the organization. The trend continues in a positive direction and will become increasingly important in the future. 35 Scholarly Contributions publications presentations COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION: STRATEGIC PLANNING AND UNIFICATION All members of the College of Business have participated in the strategic planning process. This plan supports the relevant initiatives in the overall campus plan formulated in 2008 which include student access and success, communication and collaboration, and community involvement. Each year, at the end of the spring semester, members of the faculty are convened to review the strategic plan, assess the current external and internal environment and revise strategic initiatives as necessary. The most recent strategic plan, updated in May of 2012, can be

13 found in the Appendix at the end of this report. The next iteration slated for May of 2014 will consider aspects of the recently announced unification between PNC and PUCal. Suggested topics relevant to the unification process include: Exploration of Joint programming o Economics degree (CoB and CoLA) - Video conferenced ECON course to be piloted this fall o other potential areas of synergy include Accounting and Human resources Collaborative travel study opportunities Potential for streamlined course listings and equivalencies Facilitation of faculty collaboration o joint meeting with PUCal Chancellor April 21 st o social gathering on May 2nd Process for synchronizing accreditation processes o ACBSP (PNC) vs AACSB (PUCal) SUMMARY The College of Business at Purdue University North Central is an engaged member of the campus community, committed to the land grant tradition of learning, discovery and engagement. The College of Business mission supports the Purdue North Central campus mission by providing access to contemporary business and organizational knowledge through learning, engagement and applied research. The development of the region is fostered through the professional and academic expertise of its faculty in accounting, economics, human resources, leadership, management and marketing. The COB gives continual and careful consideration to the unique characteristics and needs of our many constituencies, especially our students, in this region, the State of Indiana and beyond. In addition, the strategic plan of the College is intended to mirror the strategic plan of the University. Three major areas identified in the overall campus plan are directly relevant to the College: student access and success, communication and collaboration, and regional economic development. From its inception, PNC has taken pride in its small class sizes and accessible faculty. The friendly atmosphere encourages the development of good working relationships between students, faculty and advisors and students are considered members and partners in the PNC community, a noteworthy achievement for a non-residential, commuter college. Students will find challenging academic programs at PNC, and outside of class they have the opportunity to join clubs and organizations, do volunteer work, pursue internships and perform service learning projects. College of Business programming continues to grow and evolve with the campus as well as with changing needs of the community. The following aspects can be considered our strengths Strengths Highly engaged faculty with real world experience committed to teaching and learning, and dedicated to serving students, the campus and community at large Robust curriculum offerings with a wide variety of options to serve multiple student sectors, with provision for specialization and opportunities for experiential learning Collegial relationships within the College as well as across the campus Transferable General Education program

14 Established system of assessment and program review All organizations, however, can be considered works in progress and there are always opportunities for improvement. A few have been noted as follows: Areas for Improvement Add faculty to meet ACBSP requirements, participate in program operations and advising o Management (operations, logistics, entrepreneurship) o Leadership o Finance Provide space/technology to videoconference between campuses to support joint efforts Complete MS in Leadership process Continue to explore PNC and PUCal synergies Provide opportunities for travel study Continue to work with Institutional Research to develop and refine reports related to operational efficiencies Better tracking of alumni for collection of job placement information and assessment data More flexible and competitive strategy for providing continuing education/consulting services to our local community partners Marketing

15 APPENDICES

16 ACCREDITATION COUNCIL FOR BUSINESS SCHOOLS AND PROGRAMS December 3, 2013 Dr.James Dworkin Chancellor Purdue University North Central 1401 S. U.S. 421 Westville, IN Dear Chancellor Dworkin: Bringing Together Those Dedicated to Teaching Excellence Congratulations! The Board of Commissioners of the Baccalaureate/Graduate Degree Commission met on November 14-15, 2013, and granted initial accreditation to Purdue University North Central with six Notes and one Opportunity for Improvement (OFI) for your business programs. Conditions and notes indicate that either the Standard or Criteria is not fully met, and should be viewed as an opportunity to move your program to a higher level of excellence. Opportunities for improvement indicate that the Standard has been met, and is a suggestion to help move your processes from good to great. It would be extremely rare that a school receive accreditation without these conditions or notes given ACBSP's Core Value of Continuous Improvement and Organizational Learning, that "Business schools and programs should pursue regular cycles of planning, execution, and evaluation of every process and system. Ongoing improvement of these processes and systems leads to ever higher quality and student/stakeholder satisfaction." The Notes and OFI placed on your programs are: Note on Standard 1, Criterion 1.2.b: There are a number of initiatives that provide evidence of contributions to the community in response to Standards 3 and 5. There is no evidence provided as to a systematic approach for evaluating the impact of these initiatives. Assessing the effects of these initiatives as well as opportunities to further advance the development of the region would add value to the strategic planning process. Note on Standard 4, Criterion 4.2: While the school reports a long history of assessment, four programs (BS Business, BS Human Resources, Organizational Leadership, and MBA) have less than 3 data points for at least one measure. However, the assessment methodology for these programs has changed. The Commission looks forward to results based on the new assessment methods for these 4 programs in the first Quality Assurance Report (QAR). Note on Standard 4, Criterion 4.3: Please provide external comparative learning outcomes assessment data for the three BS degrees in your first QAR. The Commission looks forward to your analysis of the efficacy of using the Interpretive Simulations Strategy Game currently under pilot study for this purpose West 119 th StreetOverland Park, Kansas Fax info@acbsp.org

17 Note on Standard 4, Criterion 4.4: While the COB described improvements made over time based on student learning assessment results, they are not linked to the learning outcomes assessment results analyzed in Criterion 4.2. In your first QAR, please provide examples of these linkages for the student learning outcomes demonstrated in the QAR. OFI on Standard 5, Criterion 5.1: While the elements of a systematic process for developing human resources are evident in the Self-Study and the response to the Feedback report, it is difficult to understand how the COB determines its progress toward meeting all of its targets as they are scattered across many initiatives and timeframes. A document that consolidates the information with strategies, targets, and progress could make the process more manageable and more transparent to the COB s stakeholders. Note on Standard 5, Criterion 5.3: While the percentage of undergraduate courses is below the historical threshold of 40%, (currently 37%) the COB has articulated a plan to improve these percentages within the next 2-years. The Commission anticipates reviewing progress toward achieving this goal in the first QAR. Note on Standard 5, Criterion 5.5: The COB has made significant progress toward reducing teaching overload levels for its faculty members and has an ambitious plan to continue this positive trend. The Commission looks forward to documentation of further reductions in overload levels in the first QAR. The Self-Study and response to the Feedback Report provide evidence of a concerted, multi-year effort to achieve ACBSP Accreditation. Congratulations on your efforts and your success. While processes for several Criteria are in early deployment, it is clear your continued serious effort will be successful. Progress on notes must be reported in future Quality Assurance Reports; it is not necessary to report on opportunities for improvement (OFIs). You are encouraged to work with Commissioner Tina Shoemaker on the removal of the notes. Commissioner Shoemaker may be contacted by phone at: or through her address at: tinashoe@me.com. You may also contact Dr. Ron DeYoung, Executive Liaison, Baccalaureate/Graduate Degree Commission, at , or by at rdeyoung1@kc.rr.com. Your first Quality Assurance Report will be due on 9/15/2015, and every two years after that. Your ten-year reaffirmation will be due in ACBSP will inform the public of decisions on accreditation status made by the Boards of Commissioners by posting the accreditation decisions on the ACBSP Gateway. The decisions on accreditation status can be accessed from the following link: Accreditation Decisions and will appear as the following: Purdue University North Central Initial Accreditation granted with improvement opportunities in the following standards: Standard #1 Leadership Standard #4 Measurement and Analysis of Student Learning and Performance Standard #5 Faculty and Staff Focus

18 If you have any comments concerning this notification please let me know. ACBSP encourages you to publicly announce that your business programs are accredited. Next week, we will be sending you, via , a sample ACBSP Press Release and ACBSP Logo files for publicizing your accreditation. As you prepare these materials, the following is your official ACBSP statement: The following business programs at Purdue University North Central are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs: Master of Business Administration, MBA BS Business - Accounting, BS Business - Economics, BS Business - Management, BS Business - Marketing, BS Business - No Concentration, BS Human Resources, BS Organizational Leadership & Supervision, BS Please take this opportunity to review the institution name as it will appear on your Certificate of Accreditation. If this is not correct, please notify Diana Hallerud via at dianahallerud@acbsp.org and provide the correction by January 31, Name of institution as it will appear on the certificate: Purdue University North Central Westville, Indiana Please mark your calendar to join us in Chicago, Illinois, where we will honor you and all other schools receiving initial or reaffirmation of accreditation during the membership year. You are encouraged to attend along with your Chief Academic Officer and Dean or Head of the Business School or Program. Many institutions invite faculty to this prestigious celebration. Your institution will also be announced during the Baccalaureate/Graduate Degree Institution meeting held at the conference. There is a breakfast on Sunday morning June 29, 2014, for registered conference attendees from institutions that are receiving accreditation. The purpose of the breakfast is to more personally congratulate the institutional representatives and to outline the procedures that will be followed at the accreditation banquet. At least one institutional representative must attend the breakfast. In addition to the breakfast, a professional photographer will be available on Sunday, June 29, 2014 to photograph all institutional representatives along with the ACBSP Director of Accreditation, Assistant Director of Accreditation, and the Chair of the Baccalaureate/Graduate Degree Board of Commissioners. Appropriate dress for the photo session and banquet is business professional.

19 The 2014 conference will be June in Chicago and our host hotel will be the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile. Updated information is always available by going to ACBSP website, Online registration will be available January Congratulations on maintaining such a high quality business program. Sincerely, Steve Parscale Director of Accreditation Enclosures c: Dr. Karen Schmid, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Dr. Cynthia Roberts, Dean of the College of Business Ms. Tina Shoemaker, Baccalaureate/Graduate Degree Commissioner

20 College of Business Report of assessment activity Goals for based on previous assessment results: - Review and revise comprehensive exams for Business, OLS and HR majors - complete - Develop freshman experience and learning community cohort in progress, will be ready for Fall 2013 Business program Assessment of Student Learning - Comprehensive exam was administered Fall and Spring (see Attachment 1for breakdown by discipline) Overall scores: o Results indicate a slight trend upward over time o Lowest rankings in the finance area (<60%), continue to monitor marketing and strategy for potential downward trend. Student Satisfaction - Senior focus group was conducted in Spring (see Attachment 2). Results indicate: o students are generally satisfied with the extended scheduling option o students would like more online or hybrid offerings (continued trend from 2010/11 results) o the faculty mentoring/advising process remains unclear and problematic o more math and use of Excel is needed Program changes made in response to assessment results: - Upon analysis of comprehensive exam scores, it appears that students have had the most difficulty in the courses that are more quantitatively based. Results of the student focus group also indicated that more math preparation was needed. Therefore, the math sequence was revised to include the following, effective Fall 2013: o Replacement of MA 153 Algebra and Trigonometry I with MA 213 Finite Mathematics I. this course is the result of a collaborative effort between business and mathematics faculty. o Addition of a second STAT course: STAT 302 Elementary Statistical Methods II

21 Organizational Leadership and Supervision/Human Resources programs Results - Capstone presentation and analysis (see Attachment 3) o Results appear to be stable over time o Addition of unit on financial analysis in Spring of 2012 may have helped improve learning in that area - Comprehensive exam revised and administered for a second cycle (see Attachment 4 and 5 for breakdown) Overall: Spring 2012 Spring 2013 OLS Results 68% 76% HR Results 68% 72% Slight increase in both areas, continue to monitor for trend Student Satisfaction - Senior focus group findings (see Attachment 6) o Majority of responses very positive o Hybrid and online classes are seen as a strength o Advising continues to be a major issue. There is a continued need to improve advising and mentoring relationships, information about course offerings and rotations, access to plans of study o Current math sequence is inadequate Program changes made in response to assessment results: - Replace MA 153 Algebra and Trigonometry I with MA 213 Finite Mathematics I. This new course is the result of a collaborative effort between business and mathematics faculty. Goals for Develop improved process for advising, assignment of faculty mentors, and implementation of DegreeWorks - Streamline and clarify the process for student internships (assignment of faculty sponsor, clarification of tasks, use of exit assessment) - Develop strategies for improving D,F,W rates in targeted courses

22 1. BS Degree in Business Comprehensive Exam Results by discipline (Fall 2010 Spring 2013)

23 2. GBG 405 Focus Group Spring 2013 Strengths Appreciate the real world experience in faculty and courses DegreeWorks will be great for future students wish we could have used it Year round scheduling is great, very helpful for planning Dual credit is a great opportunity Job fair tough to attend, not available during the day Opportunities for Improvement Course-offering, format related issues ECON need more upper level electives Bring back law minor Need more online or blended classes Schedule some courses later in the day More upper level concentration courses in summer Would like some rotation of profs, would like choice for some courses More experiential learning perhaps help PNC campus with any needs they may have Use Excel o for all math based courses o at least in some accounting courses (or other program) Course specific GBI 301 needs some revision tests are tricky Marketing some courses are repetitive, need more critical thinking MIS textbook has mixed reviews some very positive, some negative Would like ability to purchase computer programs for reduced prices Advising a love/hate relationship Loved my professional advisor (4) Loved my faculty mentor (7) Did not have faculty mentor (11) advisor super helpful advisor did everything to discourage me from meeting with her

24 3. BS Degrees in Leadership and Human Resources Capstone Analysis (Spring 2010 Spring 2013)

25 4. BS Degree in Organizational Leadership Comprehensive Exam Results by Area (Spring 2012-Spring 2013)

26 5. BS Degree in Human Resources Comprehensive Exam results by area (Spring )

27 6. OLS 494 Focus Group Spring 2013 Strengths We ve learned a lot at PNC and have gotten a lot Internships o Appreciate professors who tell about internships o Stress importance of Internships o Roper and Smith both good on internships Appreciate hybrid classes and online classes o Courses not good totally online, but would be OK hybrid: Law, Leadership Philosophy, Conflict, Teams Advisors nearly half of the class liked their advisors All would recommend PNC to a friend Opportunities for Improvement Keep emphasis on non-traditional students who need night classes o HRIS only offered once a year on Friday mornings o COM 325 is good but only offered during the day o Help with resources and job fairs are during the day- need evening or a Saturday Additional courses in o strategic planning o project management o more public relations courses Improve the following courses: o HRIS needs software practice o HR students learn theory but would like more help with job applications o ENGL 420 needs how to write resignation letter o OLS 372 needs more on performance, ¾ of course was selection o OLS 477-needs hands on not just book learning, wish it was offered earlier in the sequence o MATH MA 153 is useless need basic math skills not trig. MA 223 for more useful than Ma 153 or STAT 301 o Writing need more help with citations, did learn it in ENGL 102 and SOC class Need to market OLS better to businesses, they know the value of people and are looking for grads Advising o horrible no one told me I had a mentor: no handoff to mentors o Had to initiate contact with advisor o 2 classes not on transcript for AS and advisors were non-responsive o Feels like they want to keep you here longer, delays graduation o Need to know when you will get advisor o Took 3 semesters to change POS maybe we need more business advisors o most advising happens during the day, need availability at night o advisors said she was not allowed to switch to 120 POS but it is as simple as reading the plan of study o Hard to schedule a year in advance, because of work and obligations change o Financial Aid staff needs to take a class in empathy and customer services

28 Strategic Planning Action Items Recruitment (Access) Expand degree and course offerings short term 2011 Develop new certificate in Organizational Administration complete 4/ Market new certificate in Org Admin marketed for PPC in SP Explore feasibility of offering core courses in BS degree online (BUS, 8 new online courses HR, OLS) for Fall 2013 under development 2013 Revise management sequence, include entrepreneurship Proposal submitted (He, Panton) Sp Explore interdisciplinary Technology Management BS degree Draft created Sp13 Expand degree and course offerings long term 2010 Develop proposal for MS in Leadership and implement in Fall 2015 on hold due to funding 2011 Revise MBA curriculum and implement in Fall 2013 PNC component 2010 Develop comprehensive plan for offering, marketing coursework/programs at the Purdue Porter County and Portage site complete SP12 on hold due to funding Approved by grad school SP13 Begin curriculum approval process New program to start F13 Retention (Success) Student Advising Enhance Campus-wide efforts to increase student success, with focus on well-defined student learning outcomes and retention. Emphasis will be placed on student advising and course progression. Student advising short term 2011 Complete revision of AS and Certs in OLS and HR to more closely complete Sp12 align with BS degrees 2011 Refine processes for assigning faculty mentors immediately ongoing complete SP Support implementation of Degree Works in Fall 2012 ongoing complete F Include common general education component on all plans of study by Fall 2012 complete Sp12

29 2012 Develop Freshman Year Experience specifically for College of Business majors by Fall 2013 Complete Sp 13 (Whitten, Panton) Offered Fall Develop additional mechanisms for connecting to majors (blogs, social media, etc.) Facebook estab Spring Develop thresholds for accepting conditional students into the major Established Sp Improve advising process and relationship by Sp 14 Task force est. SP13 (Whitten, Panton, Sindone, Brahmasrene) Enrichment of Student Experience short term 2011 Develop baseline statistics for tracking current activities under discussion Enrichment of Student Experience long term 2011 Expand participation in undergrad research, experiential learning (internships, consulting, svc learning) 2012 Explore feasibility of additional clubs (Future Bus Leaders of America, SIFE, etc.) 2012 Secure/reserve a place on plan of study that encourages experiential/research component 2013 Improve the student internship process by Sp 14 Instructional Effectiveness long term 2009 Pursue accreditation by ACBSP FBLA added Fall 2012 (Christo-Baker) under discussion, Committee est SP13 (Roper, Rohr, Smith) o Complete assessment cycle/report for Complete F12 o Develop PVQ document draft to mentor, Sp 13 o Complete self study, conduct site visit Add additional full-time, tenure track faculty. o Support implementation of system for analyzing enrollment areas to support faculty/staff hiring decisions o Immediately replace 2 FTE in HR and Management/Strategy complete, start 8/12 o Increase number of faculty in order to support the addition of the MS in Leadership at least 2 FTE on hold due to funding on hold due to funding Student team to participate in regional BizBowl (Hay) Sp14 Possible visiting search Fa13